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With on-and off-campus interview slots becoming increasingly scarce, more of our applicants are opting to conduct an online video interview. That’s smart; it’s a quick, easy and convenient way to supplement your application.

But, after reviewing more than 1,500 online video interviews last year, the Admissions Committee has some advice for those of you who are planning use this platform.

Do

Treat this as a professional interview and dress accordingly. Remember, even though you can’t see us, we can still see you (and your pajamas and Budweiser t-shirt).

Practice. This will be the first online video interview experience for many of you. It’s a little different. Do as many practice questions as necessary in order to feel comfortable. The “deer in headlights” look is not good in this situation.

Make your bed. If you are conducting the interview from your dorm room, or bedroom, tidy up a bit. Seems basic, but we saw a lot of poor housekeeping last year.

Find a stable wifi connection. You’ll have approximately 90 seconds to answer your questions. Make sure we get to view your entire response.

Find a nice, quiet spot in which to conduct your interview. You don’t want any cameo appearances by your roommate or cat.

Don’t

Put your laptop on your actual lap. Very unstable. Trust me.

Avoid eye contact with the camera. It’s weird.

Twirl your hair, swivel in your seat, rock back and forth…..you get the picture. Just be conscious of your body movement, because we have no choice but to be.

Panic – relax, smile and enjoy the experience. You got this.

Now that you are fully informed and prepared, you can request an online video interview on our website.

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Lately, we’ve heard from many prospective and current applicants about the possibility of interviewing. They go to our calendar and find only gray-ed out days, or they’ve submitted an application with the hopes of scheduling an interview later, only to find nothing available day after day. We know this has been frustrating. With this post, we’re hoping to clear up some confusion around our interview process, as it currently exists.

During the fall, we were able to offer an abundance of on-campus, Skype, and alumni off-campus interviews. As the cycle progressed, these interviews were quickly filled. While we think interviews are a crucial, if optional, part of our law school application, we also have limited resources. We only have so much time during the day to offer interviews; and, unfortunately, we have a limited number of staff, student, and alumni interviewers at our disposal.

At this point, we plan to add a few additional on-campus interview appointments during the months of January and February. Our dedicated and enthusiastic student interviewers will conduct these additional interviews. These appointments will appear on the calendar in the middle of January, once our students return to campus. After this point, it is unlikely more interviews will appear in January or February.

In the meantime, here are some alternatives to keep in mind:

When reviewing applications, should an Admissions Committee member have any pressing questions, they may reach out to an applicant directly to set up a time to speak.

When submitting your application, feel free to check the “No, I do not wish to interview” box. If you did actually want to interview but were unable to find an available interview appointment, we encourage you to submit an addendum explaining the situation. You can even take the time to point out relevant information that may have come up during your interview.

You can also submit the optional essay that indicates why specifically you are interested in Northwestern Law. This will provide the Admissions Committee with additional insight into your motivations for law school, and more specifically why you want to attend Northwestern Law.

Sometimes people cancel their interviews and something becomes available at the last minute. Cancellations are typically processed at 9:00 a.m. CST Monday through Friday. Feel free to check the calendar at that point to see if anything has recently opened up.

While we are always happy to answer your questions over the phone, through email, or in person, we can’t magically provide you with an interview. What’s on our calendar is the most up-to-date information.

Unfortunately, due to such high interest, we just can’t meet the demand for our interview program this year. But, we are thrilled that so many of you have taken the time to learn about the process and tried to have one. We hope at least one of our suggested alternative solutions will work for you!

This year, in an effort to reach even more candidates here in the United States and all around the globe, Northwestern Law has greatly expanded its option for applicants to take part in a Skype interview. Using Skype allows students who may be far away, unable to meet with an alumnus, or can’t make it in to Chicago the opportunity to speak with one of us in the Admissions Office.

However, many applicants have never used Skype or used it in a professional setting before. As an admissions officer who has done a fair share of interviews over Skype, I’m here to give you some tips and tricks to help prepare you for a Skype interview and make sure that despite the fact that we aren’t in the same room, you are still giving us your best impression.

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 we will launch our first Saturday Sessions program! A group of Chicago-area alumni interviewers will join us on campus for a day of admissions interviews. All interviews will take place in the Office and Admissions and Financial Aid, RB 130 on Northwestern Law’s Chicago Campus.

If you’d like to schedule a Saturday Session interview, please sign up here. If you have any questions about the program, please contact our office at admissions@law.northwestern.edu or 312-503-8465.

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One of the cornerstones of Northwestern Law’s application process is an interview. As we’ve previously discussed in this blog, our office has expanded the options for interviewing to include both on-campus and Skype interviews for potential applicants to speak with members of the Admissions Office. However, many candidates are nervous about the prospect of interviewing for law school and often have questions for our office about what they can do to prepare.

As an admissions officer for the law school, I can tell you that there are some simple things that you can do as an applicant to prepare yourself for an on-campus interview and give us the best possible impression of you. This includes: